This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 project is in the general area of Chemical Characterization in the subfield of separation science. Aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) is a mild procedure for isolating cells, cellular organelles, and biologically produced macromolecules such as enzymes. For small scale separations, ATPE is most economical; however, due to the cost of polymers used in the extraction systems (e.g., dextran) costs become unfavorable for large scale separations. In this project new polymers will be synthesized that will be economical, extract proteins efficiently, and possess other physical properties favorable for large separations.
